Angled Motorized Joints in Robotic Arm Wrist Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic arms are often bulky, expensive, and not well-suited for mass production, with a low load capacity and limited mobility, posing safety risks due to their design, particularly in the wrist region, and are not easily transferable between different use locations.
Innovation Solution
A modular, lightweight robotic arm with a unique wrist design featuring motorized joints at angled rotation planes to prevent finger pinching, equipped with sensors in the manipulator's fingers for load detection and a tool port, allowing easy assembly and attachment to various supports, including wheelchairs and work surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If traditional robotic arm designs are used, then functionality is achieved, but the device becomes bulky and expensive with low load capacity to weight ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm is divided into modular segments (base, arm sections, wrist, manipulator) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each segment has standardized connection interfaces, allowing the system to achieve high functionality while maintaining lightweight construction through optimized individual components rather than monolithic structures.
2Ease of manufacture
If robotic arms are designed for mass production, then manufacturing cost decreases, but adaptability to different use locations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic arm incorporates universal mounting interfaces and standardized connection points that enable the same device to be installed on various supports (wheelchairs, tables, wall mounts, countertops). This universal design allows mass production with standardized components while maintaining high adaptability to different deployment locations through configuration rather than redesign.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the wrist region uses standard perpendicular rotation planes, then mechanical simplicity is maintained, but safety risks increase due to finger pinching
Solution Approach 1:
The wrist joint employs asymmetric rotation planes where consecutive rotation planes are angled at values other than 0 or 90 degrees relative to each other. This asymmetric configuration eliminates the parallel alignment that causes finger pinching in traditional designs, while the angular relationships are carefully designed to maintain mechanical efficiency and avoid introducing excessive complexity.
4Ease of operation
If robotic arms are designed with fixed structures, then manufacturing precision is easier to achieve, but ease of assembly from knocked-down state is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The modular segments are pre-equipped with standardized connection interfaces and alignment features during manufacturing. These preliminary preparations include precision-machined mounting surfaces, keyed connections, and guide pins that ensure accurate alignment when segments are assembled, thereby maintaining high manufacturing precision while enabling easy assembly from knocked-down state.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable robotic arm comprises a base, a plurality of motorized joints, a plurality of body members and a manipulator. Each motorized joint is operative to rotate in its respective rotation plane and on its respective joint axis, which is normal to the respective rotating plane. Each body member is sequentially connected to one other body member through one of the motorized joints. A last body member is connected to the base through a last motorized joint. A manipulator is connected to a first body member through a first motorized joint. At least two consecutive rotation planes are placed at an angle from each other that is greater than 0 degrees and smaller than 90 degrees. Optionally, the manipulator comprises three fingers and a tool port centered between the three fingers. A tool connected in the manipulator's tool port may be gripped with the three fingers. The robotic arm and a wheelchair support for the robotic arm may also be provided as a kit.